Lens-edging machine



June 10 1924.

M. B. KENDIS LENS EDGING MACHINE 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed April 25 JNVENTOR. Mm

f1?) ATTORNEY.

Patented June 10, 1924.

MICHAEL B. KEND'IS, OF SEDALIA, MISSOURI.

LENS-EDGING MACHINE.

Application filed April 25, 1922. Serial No. 556,434,

'To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL B. KnNDIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sedalia, in the county of Pettis and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new'and useful Improvement in Lens-Edging Ma chines, of which the following. is a specification. V My invention relates to improvements in lens edging machines.

One of the objects of'my invention is to provide in a single machine, adapted for attachment to any usual type of grinder, novel means by which a straight edge or a bevel edge may be ground on a lens.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means by which the machine may .be adjusted to grind bevel edges of -cliffere1it angles.

Another object of my invention is to provide an edging machine with which the edges of non-circular lenses may be ground without employment of guiding means for the lens holder conforming to the shape of the lens to be ground.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel means by which the lens holder may be held yieldingly in the edging position.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means for laterally feeding the lens support with respect to the grinder so as not to cut grooves in or deface the grinding surface.

Still another object of my invention is to provide novel lens clamping means which eliminates the use of cementing material, and gearing for rotating the lens.

My invention provides further novel looking means for releasably holding the lens disengaged from the grinding surface.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine shown attached to a grinder frame and disposed so as to grind a straight edge for rimless lenses.

Fig. 2 is a front view partly in elevation. partly broken away and partly in vertical section of what is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of two of my imshown proved lens clamping members clamping a wedge-shaped lens.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the machine shown attached to a grinder frame in the straightedge grinding position.

Fig. 6 is a top view showing the machine disposed so as to grind a bevel edge;

Similar reference characters designate similar parts in the different views.

1 designates the frame of a grinder of the usual type and 2 the grindstone mounted therein.

My improved machine is provided with a base comprising a horizontal plate3, which is pivoted by means of a vertical screw 4, to the upper side of a flat plate 5, which is clamped to the upper side of a shelf 6', provided on the front of the frame 1, by means of two vertical bolts 7, which extend through ahorizontal bar 8, which bears against the under side of the shelf 6.

The upper side of the base 3 is provided with two upstanding ears 9, in which is oscillatably and slidably mounted a rock shaft 10, which is encircled by a coil sprin g 11, one end of which bears against the adjacent ear 9 and the other end of which bears against a collar 12, which in turn bears against a pin 13, extending through the shaft 10.

The opposite end of the shaft 10 has a screw-threaded portion on which is fitted a of the adjacent ear 9, Fig. 2. By tightening the nut 14, the rock shaft may be adjusted in one direction against the pressure of the spring 11. By loosening the nut 14, the spring will move the rock shaft 10 in the opposite direction. This longitudinal adjustment of the rock shaft 10 is to prevent defacing or the grinding of grooves in the grinding face of the grindstone 2, by the lenses which are groundthereby.

I employ an adjustable standard comprising a lower end member 15, an upper end member 16, and an intermediate member 17. The member 15 has extending through it the rock shaft 10 to which it is secured by a set screw 18 so as to swing and move longitudinally therewith.

The intermediate member 17 is pivoted to the members 15 and 16 by means of two transverse bolts 19 and 20, which are respectively rotatable in the members 15 and 16, and which have threaded connection with longitudinally the member 17. When the bolts 19 and 20 are loosened, the member 17 may be swung to any desired angle with respect to the members 15 and 16 and then held clamped in the adjusted position by tightening the bolts 19 and 20.

Rotatably mounted on the member 16 is a lens holding and revolving means comprising the following described parts.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, 21 designates a horizontal shaft, rotatably mounted in the member 16, and which has secured to one of its ends a manually operated crank 22, by means of which the shaft 21 may be rotated in the grinding operation. The opposite end of the shaft 21 is provided with a head 23, rotatably mounted in a horizontal hole 2 1, in the member 16. Encircling the shaft 21 is a coil spring 25, which is mounted in the hole 24:, and which bears at one end against the member 16, and which bears at its other end against a collar 26, which encircles the shaft 21. Tnterposed between the head 23 and collar 26 are balls 27.

The outer end of the head 23 is provided with an annular concentric groove or recess 28, in which is fitted tightly a flexible clamping ring 29, which is preferably resilient and which may be of soft rubber. 'The ring 29 is adapted to bear against one side and exert a clamping action upon a lens 30, the opposite side of which is adapted to be clamped by a rubber clamping ring 31, mounted in an annular groove or recess 32, which is provided in a bearing member 33, against which bear balls 34%, which in turn have a bearing against a collar 35, which encircles a-stem 36, provided centrally and horizontally on the member 33. The stem 36 is rotatably mounted in a plate 37, which is secured to the member 16. The stem 36 has a peripheral groove, Fig. 3, 'in which extends the inner end of a screw 38, which is mounted in the plate 37, and which holds the member 33 from slipping out of the plate 37 when the head 23 is drawn to the right. against the pressure of the spring 25, as viewed in Fig. 3. for the purpose of in serting or removing a lens.

Mounted on the shaft 21 next to the crank 22 is a collar 39, which is secured to the shaft 21, by a set screw 10.

Pivoted to the member 16 is a hand operated lever 11, one end of which is adapted to bear against the inner end of the collar 39. When the lever 41 is swung to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, the shaft 21 may be retracted to permit of the insertion of a lens between the clamping members 29 and 31, or to permit the removal of a lens.

The standard is normally inclined toward the stone 2 and to counter-balance the weight, there may be provided a coil spring 12, Fig. 1, and Fig. 2, the upper end of mania? which is secured to a cotter pin 13, which extends longitudinally through and is rotatable in the longitudinal center of the bolt 20. The other end of the spring 42 is attached to a vertical plate 4A, which is pro- Vided with a vertical slot 1-5, through which extends a clamping screw 46, disposed horizontally and mounted in a threaded hole which is provided in a forwardly extending projection 47, on the base 3. By loosening the screw 416, the plate 44 may be vertically adjusted to vary the tension of the spring 42.

For normally swinging the rocksha-ft 10 and the standard to the edging position shown in Fig. 1, in which position the edge of the lens 30 will bear against the grinding face of the stone 2, I provide a coil spring 48, the lower end of which is attached to a rearwardly extending arm, 49, of the base 3. The upper end of the spring 18 is attached to a plate 50, Figs. 1 and 2, which is provided with a vertical slot 51, through which extends a clamping screw 52, which is mounted in a threaded hole provided in an upstanding arm 53, provided at one end of the rock shaft 10. The tension of the spring 18 opposes and is stronger than the tension of the spring 12, so that the spring 18 will normally swing the standard and the rock shaft 10, to the edging position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1. By loosening the screw 52, the tension of the spring 48 may be adjusted so as to obtain the proper pressure of the lens 30 against the grindstone 2. After such adjustment of the spring 18, the screw 52 is tightened so as to hold the plate 50 in the position to which it is adjusted on the arm 53.

To releasably hold the standard out of the edging position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, there is pivoted to the base 3 a latch 5 12-, which is adapted to engage a horizontal. ledge 55, provided on the outer side of the standard member 15. A spring 56. Fig. 1, which bears against the latch 51'- attached to the base 3 and normally forces the latch 5 toward the member 15.

"When a straight edge is to be ground upon a lens, the parts are disposed as shown in Figs. 1., 2 and 5, in which the members 15, 16 and 17 of the standard are disposed in a vertical plane. he lever 1-1 is swung so as to draw the shaft 21 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, upon which the lens 30 is inserted between the clamping rings 29 and 31. The lever 41 is thenreleased upon which the spring 25 will force the shaft 21 to a position in which the lens will be clamped between the rings 29 and 31. The latch 541 is then released from the ledge upon which the spring 13 will swing the standard to the edging position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1. The crank 41 is then turned. The gentle pressure of the spring 43 will keep the lens edge against the grindstone, whether the lens is elliptical or circular. When the edge has been ground straight, the standard is swung away from the stone to a position in which the latch 54 will engage with the ledge 55, thus holding the standard in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The lever 41 is then swung to release the head 23 from the lens, after which the lens may be. removed and another lens substituted therefor for edging in the manner already described.

When it is desired to grind a bevel edge, the pivot clamping screw 4 is loosened and the base 3 then swung on the screw 4 to the desired angular position, as shown in Fig. 6, after which the screw 4 is tightened to the clamping position, after which the clamping bolts 19 and 20 are loosened and the members 16 and 17 of the standard are swung to the proper position for disposing the lens 30 at the described angle to the stone 2, as shown in Fig. 6. The bolts 19 and 20 are then tightened to hold the members 16 and 17 in their adjusted positions, after which the spring 48 is permitted to force the standard toward the stone when the lens is against the stone, the crank 22 is turned so as to grind the proper bevel on one side of the lens. To grind a corresponding bevel at the other side of the lens, the lens is removed and reversed in position between the clamping rings 29 and 31.

If desired, instead of reversing the lens, after the bevel at one side has been ground,

the bevel on the other side may be ground by loosening the bolts 4, 19 and 20, swinging the base 3 in the other direct-ion past the central position shown in Fig. 5, and then adjusting the members 16 and 17, to bring the lens 30 in proper angular relation to the stone, as already described, then tightening the bolts 4, 19 and 20. The spring 48 is then permitted to swing the standard so as to press the lens against the stone, followin which the crank 22 is turned so as to grin the bevel on the opposite side of the lens from the side on which a bevel has already been ground. I

Two adjustable stop plates 56 are disposed horizontally on the plate at opposite sides respectively of the bolt 4 and in positions disposed in the arc of movement of the base 3. Each plate 56 is provided with a slot 57, through which extends a clamping screw 58 having threaded connection with the plate 5, and adapted to clamp the adjacent plate 56 against the top of the plate 5 in such position as the stop plate 56 may be adjusted to.

After the base 3 has been moved to the proper angular position, the plate 56 adjacent thereto is adjusted to a position in which it will touch the base 3, following which the adjacent clamping screw 58 is tightened. Th stop plate 56, so adjusted,

will serve thereafter for determining this particular angle of adjustment for the base 3.

As the rock shaft is perpendicular to the pivot bolt 4, and the bolts 19 and are at right angles to the rock shaft 10, the lens holding and revolving means is universally adjustable in all directions with respect to the grinding surface of the stone 2, so that a straight edge or beveled edges at any desired angle may be ground on the lens.

By employing two opposing springs, one of which overcomes the other, so as to swing the lens with a gentle pressure, against the grinding surface, elliptical as well as circular lenses may be readily ground, by simply turning the crank 22, without the use of intermediate gearing, and without requiring an elliptical guide, such as is usually employed for controlling the swinging of the standard with relation to the grindstone. 7

By employing two resilient ring clamping members 29 and 31, whichare located in annular grooves 28 and 32, in the head 23 and member 33, the cementing of the clamping members to the rotary parts which carry them is not required, as the resilient clamping members'will hold themselves in the recesses in which they are located.

When it is desired to grind a wedgeshaped lens, such as the lens 59 in Fig. 4, there may be provided an annular soft rubber clamping ring 60 having oneside disposed obliquely to the other side at an angle corresponding to the angle of the adjacent slde of the lens 59. Against the opposite side of the lens 59 may be disposed a clamping ring 61, having parallel sides and corresponding to the ring 31. The outer sides of the rings 60 and 61 will be parallel, when disposed, with respect to the lens 59, as shown in Fig. 4, and the rings may be then 'respectlvely mounted in this position in the grooves 28 and 32, with the lens 59 held clamped between them.

In order that the grinding of lenses shall preserve a smooth uniform surface on the periphery of the grindstone, the nut 14 is adjusted frequently, so as to move the rock shaft- 10 back and forth to different positions, so that the lenses will hear at diflferent places across the full thickness of the stone whereby the grinding face of the latter will 'be kept in a smooth condition.

My improved mechanism is adapted for use l11,COI1I180lZlOI1 with grindstones largely differing in diameter. After the plates 44 and 50 have been adjusted, to give the proper tension to the springs 42 and 48, for adapting the device to a stone of any diameter, further adjustment of such plates will be unnecessary.

I do not limit my invention to the structurc shown and described, as many modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

l/Vhat I claim is 1. In a lens edging machine, a base, having means for pivotal attachment to a suitable support, a standard comprising two end members and an intermediate member, the latter being pivoted on parallel axes to said end members, one of said end members being pivoted to said base on an axis perpendicular to the said parallel axes and to the axis of said base, and lens holding and revolving means rotatable on the other end member, substantially as set forth.

2. In a lens edging machine, a base having means for pivotal attachment to a suitable support, a standard comprising two end members and an intermediate member, the latter being pivoted on parallel axes to said end members, one of said end members being pivoted to said base on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the latter and perpendicular to said parallel axes, spring actuated means for swinging the standard toward the edging position, and lens holding and revolving means rota-table on the other of said end members, substantially as set forth.

In a lens edging machine, a base, a standard comprising two end members and an intermediate member, one of said end members being pivoted to said base, the intermediate member being pivoted respectively to said end members on parallel axes perpendicular to the axis of said pivoted end member, lens holding and revolving means rotatable on the other end. member, and spring actuated means for swinging said standard on said base toward the edging position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I- have signed my name to this specification.

MICHAEL E. KENDIS. 

